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Violet’s Eat at Araneta Center

Even before ultraviolet was named color of the year by color
standardization authority Pantone, food items in colors similar to that have
long been making waves in the country and even abroad.

At the forefront of it all is the ube or the purple yam.

From its humble roots as—well—a root crop, it has been
catapulted to worldwide fame thanks to its viability and the social media savvy
of its proponents.

At the Araneta Center, ube is definitely enjoying sweet
success among the shoppers and patrons.

Ube-quitous treat

Filipinos have had a long love affair with the ube. It’s a
staple treat especially during special occasions like birthdays, fiestas and
family gatherings.

From being served as a pudding or the ube halaya, it has
evolved into an unmissable ingredient for pastries and other desserts.

Ube is one of the most beloved cake flavors in local shores.
Some of the more popular ube cakes that can be found in Araneta Center are the
Ube Overload of Red Ribbon (Farmers Plaza and Shopwise Arcade) and the ube
cheesecake of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (Gateway Mall and Araneta Coliseum).

Photo: Ube Cakes from Red Ribbon (Farmers Plaza, Shopwise Arcade)

Photo: Ube Cheesecake from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (Gateway Mall)

Even before the big bakeshops have cashed in on ube, local
bakeries have long been offering ube pastries. None is more popular than the
ube hopia.

Hopia specialists Salazar (Farmers Plaza) and Eng Bee Tin
(Farmers Plaza) both consider their ube hopia as among their best sellers. The
ube hopia is so popular that the latter has come up with more variants: the
tikoy ube, the ube-custard hopia and the ube-pastillas hopia.

Photo: Salazar from Eng Bee Tin (Farmers Plaza)

Another popular local bakeshop, Baker’s Fair (Farmers
Market), even offers ube and monggo hopia straight from the griddle!

Ube as an ice cream flavor used to be just a topper for the
popular Filipino dessert halo-halo. But local restaurant Kuya J (Kia Theatre Arcade)
has made it the main star of its Halo-Halo Espesyal—a synthesis that’s both
sweet and original.

Photo: Ube Halo-Halo from Kuya J Restaurant (Kia Theatre Arcade)

If a whole glass of halo-halo is too much for you, you can
always opt for the ube-flavored ice candy of Fruitas Ice Candy (Ali Mall),
which is only P10. It’s a nice treat especially for the summer days ahead and
one cannot help but reminisce about childhood memories while eating it.

Photo: Fruitas Ice Candy (Ali Mall)

Violet love affair

Although it’s not made of ube, another popular violet treat
is the puto bumbong. This beloved purple rice cake is a best seller especially
during the holiday season. Fret not, those who have cravings. The puto bumbong
is available in Ferino’sBibingka
(Gateway Mall) all year long.

Photo: Puto Bumbong from Ferino's Bibingka (Gateway Mall)

Not to be left behind is ube’s cousin, the taro. Similar to
the ube, the taro has also been used as a viable ingredient for dishes,
desserts and even drinks.

Infinitea (Gateway Mall) actually serves three drinks based
on this root vegetable: the taro milk tea, which is one of its top five best
sellers, the taro frappe and the iced taro.

Ube-tter believe it, ube and other violet food items are not
just trendy, they are here to stay.